Identity and administration
Metropolitan city of Bari and five provinces (Barletta-Andria-Trani, Brindisi, Foggia, Lecce, Taranto). Ordinary statute. Three law 482/1999 minorities: Griko speakers of the Grecìa Salentina, Arbëreshë of San Marzano, Casalvecchio and Chieuti, Franco-Provençal speakers of Faeto and Celle di San Vito. Festivals: San Nicola in Bari, Sant'Oronzo in Lecce, Notte della Taranta.
Sections: Geography · History · Population · Languages · Time zone · Public holidays
- Bari – Metropolitan City of Bari, capital Bari (seat of the Region)
- Barletta-Andria-Trani (BAT) – three capitals; province created in 2004, operational from 2009
- Brindisi – capital Brindisi
- Foggia – capital Foggia (Capitanata, Gargano, Monti Dauni)
- Lecce – capital Lecce (Salento)
- Taranto – capital Taranto
Statute and minorities
Apulia is a region with an ordinary statute. It hosts three historical linguistic minorities protected by law 482/1999: Griko, a Greek dialect still spoken by older people in nine municipalities of the Grecìa Salentina (Calimera, Martano, Martignano, Sternatia, Zollino, Corigliano d'Otranto, Castrignano de' Greci, Melpignano, Soleto); Arbëreshë (Albanian) in San Marzano di San Giuseppe (TA), Casalvecchio di Puglia and Chieuti (FG); Franco-Provençal in Faeto and Celle di San Vito (FG), the southernmost linguistic island of that group. Apulian dialects divide between the Apulo-Barese type (north and centre) and Salentino, of the extreme southern type.
- Bari: San Nicola, 6 December and 7–9 May (feast of the translation of the relics, with the historical parade and the procession at sea)
- Lecce: Saints Oronzo, Giusto and Fortunato, 24–26 August, with the luminarie light displays
- Taranto: San Cataldo, 10 May; the Holy Week rites with the hooded perdoni
- Foggia: Madonna dei Sette Veli, 15 August and 22 March; Brindisi: Saints Theodore of Amasea and Lawrence of Brindisi, first Sunday of September
- Melpignano: Notte della Taranta, final concert in late August of the pizzica festival
- Monte Sant'Angelo and San Giovanni Rotondo: pilgrimages to St Michael and Padre Pio all year
Data
Sources
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Updated: 2026-10-14
Reviewed: 10/23/2026 · by piero.avolio · rev. 1 · Period: → 2027-10-31
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